5.30pm: Break time
Join us in a new post in 15 minutes.
5.20pm: Pateychuk bursts into the lead
Andrey Pateychuk has taken the lead here at San Remo after crushing Daniel Neilson with ace-king for the second time.
Pateychuk opened for 160,000 from the hijack and Neilson three-bet to 380,000 from the button. The Russian four-bet to 1,120,000 and Neilson announced that he was all-in. Call.
Neilson: A♥ 9♦
Pateychuk: A♠K♣
Huge 9,595,000 pot with Pateychuk as a three-to-one favourite. The board ran out 4♥ 7♥ 6♣ A♦ Q♦ to put Pateychuk out in front and Neilson, somewhat incredibly, down to 3,050,000. — RD
5.15pm: Danchev gets better of Nielson
Daniel Nielson opened for 160,000 from middle position which Dimitar Danchev three-bet from the button to 405,000. Nielson called for a flop: 10♣ 6♥ 4♣ . Nielson checked, then called Danchev’s bet of 625,000 for a 10â™ turn. Both checked that for a river card A♣ .
Nielson checked again. Danchev went to his stack and bet 900,000. Nielson didn’t fold immediately but he did eventually. Pot to Danchev. – SB
5.07pm: Neilson backdoors Bendik
Daniel Neilson is up to 9,200,000 after rivering a flush on a 2♣ 7♥ 4♠7♠5♠board. Neilson had raised pre-flop and Bendik had made the call on the button. A 250,000 c-bet was made on the flop, the turn was checked and Neilson led 500,000 into the river. Call. Bendik now the short stack with 2,190,000.
Bendik, who showed a seven for trips, said: “Not possible.” — RD
5pm: Shock all-in leaves Kerignard out in cold (6th, €130,000)
Yorane Kerignard is out after a suddenly shove that no one seemed to expect. Kerignard limped in the small blind which Dimitar Danchev raised to 240,000, Kerignard then moved all-in, getting snap called by Danchev who turned over A♦ J♦ to Kerignard’s 3♥ 3♦ .
The board made it easy for Danchev, coming Aâ™ A♣ 9♣ 6♥ 7♣ to move Danchev up to 7,200,000 and send Kerignard to the rail in sixth place, earning €130,000. – SB
4.54pm: Loose shove from Neilson doubles Pateychuk
Andrey Patechuk had shoved from the button for 1,800,000 the hand prior. This time, however, he just min-raised from the cut-off for 160,000. Chip leader Daniel Neilson moved all-in from the small blind and the Russian snapped him off.
Neilson: A♣ 7♦
Pateychuk: A♠K♥
The A♦ 2♦ K♣ Kâ™ 10♣ board boated Pateychuk who doubled to 4,000,000. Neilson still ahead, but less so, with 8,000,000. — RD
4.50pm: Boatman moving up
Andrey Pateychuk opened for 180,000 in the small blind which Barny Boatman called in the big blind for a flop of 10♣ Q♦ 5â™ . Pateychuk made it 210,000 but Boatman came back with a raise to 420,000 to win the hand. He’s up to 2,600,000. — SB
4.45pm: Palumbo out in 7th (€95,000)
Rocco Palumbo finally got his chips into the middle, all in for 645,000 in middle position which K♣ Q♠. Jan Bendik was in the small blind and called with 5♥ 5♦ .
With the whole of Italy on its feet the flop was dealt, landing 2♣ 5♣ J♦ . Bendik now had a set which would prove unbeatable, with a 7â™ turn and 6♦ river card. Palumbo departs in seventh place earning €95,000. – SB
4.40pm: Kerignard and Neilson check-raise
Yorane Kerignard got the first check-raise in to take Jan Bendik off a 7♠Q♥ 8♣ flop after calling the Slovakian from the small blind. That put Bendik down to 2,665,000, Kerignard up to 3,360,000.
Next it was Daniel Neilson’s turn to take the check-raise option, and far more effectively. Neilson opened for 160,000 from the hijack and Kerignard made the call from the button. Neilson c-bet 250,000 into the A♥ 7â™ 8♣ flop. Call. Both players checked the 7♥ turn before Neilson checked the 9â™ river over to Kerignard who bet 230,000.
Neilson then cut out a large check-raise to 1,100,000 and his oppoennet slowly made the call, unhappy when the Australian showed Aâ™ Q♣ for a great value check-raise. Neilson now up to 10,065,000 and romping it. — RD
4.30pm: Palumbo under seige
A period of all-ins but no takers. Daniel Nielson shoved in the small blind to force Rocco Palumbo to fold the big blind. This has been Nielson’s tactic all day, to take the fight to the short stack, who has been forced to step aside.
A few moments later Dimitar Danchev opened for 175,000 which Nielson raised to 450,000 from the button. Yorane Kerignard was in the big blind and immediately shoved for 2,150,000. Danchev passed and, after a few seconds to think, Nielson passed also. – SB
4.20pm: Final table chips
Rocco Palumbo the man in trouble.
1. Andrey Pateychuk, 2,605,000
2. Empty
3. Barny Boatman, 1,925,000
4. Daniel Neilson, 8,725,000
5. Rocco Palumbo, 805,000
6. Yorane Kerignard, 2,175,000
7. Dimitar Danchev, 5,760,000
8. Jan Bendik, 3,135,000
Neilson continues to stretch out his chip lead. — RD
4.15pm: Kerignard all-in
Yorane Kerignard pushes all in for just short of 2,000,000 after a cut-off raise from Daniel Nielson to 160,000. No takers. — SB
4.10pm: Back from the break
Rocco Palumbo shoved all-in for 700,000 into Yoran Kerignard. The Frenchman passed. — RD
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 40,000-80,000-100, ANTE 5,000
3.55pm: Break
Full chip counts to come shortly. Join us in this post in 15 minutes. — RD
3.54pm: Final table preview
The video team have created this final table preview.
3.51pm: Pateychuk pins on back
Andrey Pateychuk opened his cut-off for 120,000 and Barny Boatman three-bet from the button to 275,000. The Russian calmly made the call.
Boatman c-bet 250,000 into the Kâ™ K♥ 3♥ flop, Pateychuk made the call. Both players checked the 4♥ turn before Pateychuk led 500,000 into the Qâ™ river. Boatman passed. — RD
3.45pm: Neilson extends lead
Daniel Nielson moves up to around 9,000,000 chips after a big pot against Jan Bendik.
Nielson opened for 120,000 in middle position which Bendik called from the big blind. The flop came 5♣ 3â™ 8♦ which Bendik checked. Nielson bet 125,000 and was called for a 4♥ turn card. Bendik checked again before Nielson bet another 285,000. Bendik called again. On the Kâ™ river card Bendik checked one last time before Nielson lumped in 675,000. Bendik paused, then called. Nielson took the hand showing A♦ 2â™ for the straight, beating Bendik’s pocket sixes. – SB
3.35pm: MacPhee out in 8th (€63,694)
Kevin MacPhee is the first player out at this final table, not the dream return to the big stage he’d been hoping for. MacPhee had cut a frustrated figure obviously unable to find a hand to get his stack in with. When the action passed to him in the small blind MacPhee shoved his final 535,000 over the line and into Barny Boatman’s big blind.
Boatman looked MacPhee up and down and made the call.
Boatman: Qâ™ 7â™
MacPhee: 6♣ 5♥
Despite turning a gutshot MacPhee failed to outrun Boatman on the 3♥ 3♣ K♦ 2♣ J♥ board and departs in 8th for €63,694. Boatman back up to 2,630,000, seven players remain. — RD
3.25pm: Pateychuck under pressure
After Barny Boatman wins a hand against Daniel Nielson, Dimitar Danchev wins one aginst Andrey Pateychuck, opening for 125,000 and they four-betting to 675,000 after Pateychuck raised to 330,000. The Russian passed. – SB
3,20pm: Chip counts
Daniel Nielson — 7,395,000
Dimitar Danchev — 5,195,000
Jan Bendik — 4,580,000
Andrey Pateychuck — 2,415,000
Yorane Kerignard — 2,010,000
Barny Boatman — 1,830,000
Rocco Palumbo — 1,035,000
Kevin MacPhee — 670,000
3.15pm: Neilson piling on the pressure, MacPhee looking frustrated
Daniel Neilson has won the last three pots and is driving his chip leader ahead of the pack.
1) Neilson shoved from the small blind into Rocco Palumbo’s big blind. The Italian, who cannot expect an easy ride today, passed.
2) Barny Boatman opened the cut-off for 125,000 and was three-bet by Neilson from the button to 275,000. Boatman called and check-called 250,000 on the 7♠4♥ K♣ flop. The Londoner passed to a 400,000 bet on the 4♦ turn.
3) Neilson took on Dimitar Danchev the next hand winning the pot on a 9♦ A♦ J♦ flop.
While Neilson is chipping up – probably close to 7,600,000 – Kevin MacPhee is looking increasingly frustrated, unable to find a hand to play correctly. — RD
3.05pm: Watch all about it
Don’t forget you can watch all the action from the EPT San Remo final table on EPTLive.
3pm: Danchev in action
Dimitri Danchev opened for 135,000 which Daniel Nielson called in the big blind for a flop of 9♥ 3♦ 5♥ . Nielson then checked to Danchev who bet another 155,000. Again Nielson called.
On the Q♣ flop Nielson checked to Danchev who bet 340,000. This time it was good to win the pot. – SB
2.56pm: Palumbo all-in!
But no call. The last remaining Italian shoved all-in from late position into Jan Bendik’s big blind for 1,045,000 stole the blinds. It’s his second shove but still no takers. — RD
2.54pm: The Bendik-Danchev dance
Jan Bendik and Dimitar Danchev have been involved the last two hands. Bendik winning the first with a three-bet to 350,000 and Danchev the other in a small post-flop pot. Nothing major, no seismic shudders at this final table as of yet. — RD
2.50pm: First moves from Palumbo
The first all-in of the day is executed by Rocco Palumbo who found no takers for his shove of 1,030,000. Prior to that Jan Bendik and Andrey Pateychuck battled from the blinds, Bendik betting 250,000 on the 6♣ 9♦ Aâ™ flop, then another 520,000 on the 10♣ turn to win the hand. – SB
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 30,000-60,000, ANTE 5,000
2.40pm: The first few hands
Here’s a snapshot of the first few hands:
1) Barny Boatman three-bets his big blind to 275,000 after a 100,000 button-raise from Andrey Pateychuk. The Russian passes, Boatman takes the pot.
2) Dimitar Danchev opens to 110,000 and takes the blinds and antes.
3) Yorane Kerignard opens to the same amount and also takes the pot.
Two players started on little over 20 big blinds (Kevin MacPhee and Rocco Palumbo) so it can’t be too long until there’s an all-in. — RD
2.33pm: Talking of Neilson
The video blog team catch up with chip leader Daniel Neilson.
2.30pm: Cards in the air
Nielson raises the first hand. Wins it. — SB
2.28pm: Introducing the players
Seat 1: Andrey Pateychuk, 22, near Moscow, Russia – 3,105,000
Andrey Pateychuk celebrated his 22nd birthday yesterday by making the final of EPT San Remo. Currently studying Information Security at Bauman Moscow State Technical University, the Russian had virtually no live results until he suddenly grabbed the attention of the poker world by coming 15th at this year’s WSOP Main Event, earning $478,174. He took up poker three years ago, playing $1 Sit and Goes online and he still prefers online no-limit tournaments to live. He is good friends with Team PokerStars Pro Ivan Demidov.
Seat 2: Kevin “ImaLuckSac” MacPhee, 31, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – PokerStars qualifier – 1,115,000
MacPhee started playing poker with college friends in 2003 after seeing Chris Moneymaker win the World Series. The former “Magic: the Gathering” player has been a pro for about five years but first came to notice in April 2008 when he broke the PokerStars Tournament Leader Board record. He then started competing in live events, qualifying for PokerStars tournaments all over the globe including APPT Macau, LAPT San Jose, in Costa Rica, and at least 14 EPTs. In Season 6 he achieved his goal – winning EPT Berlin to earn €1 million, one of the biggest EPT pay-outs ever. He crowned Season 6 by cashing in the Grand Final and winning the EPT Players’ Choice Award. In July 2010, he cashed in four WSOP events; he also came ninth in the PokerStars.net NAPT Los Angeles $5k NL Bounty Shootout tourney in November 2010 and ninth at EPT Prague the following month.
Seat 3: Barny Boatman, 45, London, UK – 2,490,000
There are few in the poker world that haven’t played with Barny Boatman, and even fewer that haven’t shared a drink with him at the bar after play. Boatman has been an ever-present face of the game in the UK since ‘Late Night Poker’ hit television screens back in 1999. The Londoner, who has $1,757,882 in tournament winnings, has a string of live results longer than most players online cashes, but that one big score has always eluded him. This time round, however, he feels things may be different.
“I know I’m playing right so I’m pretty confident about the final table,” said Boatman, “I’ve got myself deep in many occasions but have always seemed to lose that big flip, but there’s not much you can do about that.”
The pressure of the final table and the glare of the spotlight is unlikely to trouble Boatman who will rate his chances of spinning up his fifth place stack. Not only is this Boatman’s first final table but in so reaching it he’s guaranteed himself his largest single tournament score, outweighing a 2002 WSOP runner-up spot (Erik Seidel came third, Johnny Chan fifth).
Seat 4: Daniel Nielson, 24, Sydney, Australia – PokerStars Player – 6,700,000
Nielson has been playing poker for five years, starting in home games but swiftly graduating to playing online where he now mainly plays cash games. He has also had numerous successes in live events with nearly 40 cashes in the last three years, totalling more than $700k. His wins include the ANZPT Sydney High Rollers Challenge two years ago and the ANZPT Perth High Stakes event in March. He has also won two other major Aussie Main Events and in 2010 was voted Australian Poker Player of the Year. “I turned up in San Remo with the same expectations as any poker tournament – I think I have a good chance but I don’t expect too much. I have a big reputation for shrugging my shoulders if I go out and not really caring. That said, I don’t think I’m going out in eighth place so yes, this would be my biggest live cash.”
Nielson came to Europe – his first visit here – with a bunch of poker friends to compete in a several Main Events. He came 45th at EPT London for £13,000 but was first out of the WSOPE Main Event in Cannes when he ran Aces into a flush draw in the first ten minutes. After San Remo, he is planning to head to Amsterdam for the Master Classics and then on to EPT Loutraki.
Seat 5: Rocco Palumbo, 23, Genova, Italy – 1,160,000
Like many poker players, Palumbo was an avid player of “Magic: The Gathering” but stopped playing when he was 16 and started working as an accountant. He started playing online poker at the age of 18 and, as soon as his bankroll was big enough, left his job and started playing professionally. He used to be a heads-up specialist (he won the Italian Poker Award for Best Online Heads-Up player in both 2009 and 2010) but now mostly plays online MTTs and cash games. He’s also an online poker coach on several websites. His best live result was 34th at EPT7 San Remo for €20,000. His most notable online result was winning a €100 SCOOP Six Max Event.
Known to the community as RoccoGe, Palumbo gained Supernova Elite status in 2009. His wife Giulia, who also plays online from time to time, will be here to support him for tomorrow’s final.
Seat 6: Yorane Kerignard, 26, Aix-en-Provence, France – PokerStars qualifier – 2,145,000
Kerignard started playing poker after watching a documentary on television in 2007 featuring French singer and film star Patrick Bruel playing against online qualifiers. The 26-year-old industrial design graduate plays on PokerStars under the username “viirusss”. Favouring MTT events, Kerignard proved his skills in the live arena when he made the final of the Season 6 EPT Copenhagen Main Event. His fourth place in that event is the best result of his career to date; if he finishes better than sixth here in San Remo, he’ll beat his Copenhagen achievement. Kerignard spends most of the year in Marrakech, Morocco, which allows him to play on PokerStars.com. He won his seat to San Remo online on PokerStars.
Seat 7: Dimitar Danchev, 26, from Plovdiv, Bulgaria – 4,435,000
Dimitar has been playing poker for four years and two of those as a professional. He normally doesn’t play too many tournaments and prefers to concentrate on cash games. His choice of game are no-limit hold’em cash games online at the $5-$10 to $10-$20 levels. He admits that he has been very lucky during this tournament but that is the nature of tournaments. He also feels like he has been playing very well and hopes that continues in the final.
He travelled here with two of his friends and they all played the main event. They weren’t as lucky as him but will show their full support as he tries to bring an EPT title home to Bulgaria for the firs time. Away from the tables Dimitar likes to go out with friends, play computer games and watch soccer.
Seat 8: Jan Bendik, 47, Poprad, Slovakia – 3,980,000
Bendik has been playing poker for seven years as a hobby. He owns an electricity company in his homeland but has been playing poker more and more over the years. He has very little time for any other hobbies as poker dominates any free time he has. Poker has been a very fruitful for him as he has amassed nearly $850k in tournament winnings including making the final of last season’s EPT Prague Main Event, where he finished sixth for €100,000. Before Prague, he had cashed in four side events including winning a €1,000 event at EPT7 Barcelona for €68,860. Since Prague, he has finished 49th in the EPT Season 7 Grand Final in Madrid (for €25,000) and made four other final tables including a side event in Madrid and a side event in Barcelona in August.
2.20pm: The standard late start
The players are at the table, chips are stacked and – bar the introductions – we’re set to start. — RD
1.50pm: Tweet of the hour
@barnyboatman: “If I win EPT San Remo they’d better make me Rookie of the Year, or there’s no flipping justice.”
1.45pm: If you prefer moving pictures…
The final table will also be broadcast on EPT Live today where James Hartigan and Marc Convey (yes that Marc Convey) will guide you through the day. You can follow all the action on EPTLive.com. — SB
1.40pm: Final table day
Welcome to the final table of the European Poker Tour main event in San Remo, the last eight of a field of 837 players competing for a first prize of €800,000.
From our position high above the set the final touches are being made to the feature table, on stage in the theatre at Casino San Remo. Only one player has arrived so far, chip leader Daniel Nielson, sporting a new Boggi shirt, waiting for the instruction to take his seat.
Casino San Remo
That should come at around 2pm when play is due to start, but as is standard in these situations that might be a rough rather than precise start time.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in San Remo: Rick Dacey and Stephen Bartley.
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